Display device



July 8, 1969 L. H. WEAVER I DISPLAY DEVICE Sheet 0192 Filed Aug. 1, 1967 4 /0y0 W5 0 rev INVENTOR J y' 1969 1.. H. WEAVER 7 3,453,759

DISPLAY DEVICE PM Aug. i, 1967 Z/ qd Wears/ I INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,453,759 DISPLAY DEVICE Lloyd H. Weaver, 6750 Richwood, Houston, Tex. 77017 Filed Aug. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 657,650 Int. Cl. G091? 7/00 US. Cl. 40-68 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device is provided for installation on an existing light pole or utility pole, which is adapted for holding one or more signs which are free to rotate around the pole. The device comprises generally a first annular frame which encircles the pole and is made-up of at least two parts, and a second annular frame which also encircles the frame and is also made-up of a plurality of parts. The second frame is positioned in rotatable engagement with the first one or more signs. The signs are held in an overlay material, and can be readily slipped on and off sign frames.

Background of the invention Outdoor advertising is one of the largest and most important industries in the nation. Advertising by billboards on the streets and highways of the country is extremely important to the sales of all kinds of businesses. Large and expensive billboards are located on almost every highway and in almost every town and village. With such billboards often costing several thousand dollars to build and erect, it will be readily understood that developments in the art of outdoor advertising are developments which are of major significance to all industry and commerce.

The primary problem with present billboards is their great cost per unit of viewable advertising space. This cost is attributable not only to the expense of the large superstructures required, but also to the land occupied by the billboards, the labor necessary to erect them, and re lated costs such as the insurance necessary to cover the liability which might arise should a billboard topple in a high wind or the like to cause injury to person or property.

The last mentioned point is also a source of continuing problems. Most billboards are located in fairly open areas, and their large fiat surface elevated with respect to the surrounding terrain makes them especially vulnerable to wind and storm damage. Even if there is no damage to the person or property of others, there may be damage to or loss of the billboard itself, with consequent replacement expense to the billboard owner.

Exposure to sun, rain, sleet and snow as well as wind is also damaging to billboards. The elements necessitate frequent changing of the panels on most billboards unless such billboards are provided with a very expensive and relatively permanent type of covering. When such panels are not frequently changed because of remote location or shortage of labor or the like, the appearance of the advertisement is soiled, and the display may discourage rather than encourage sales.

A further problem with billboards in present use is the difficulty and expense which must be made to change from one display to another. The displays or panels themselves are relatively expensive, but the expense of such panels are generally relatively small compared with the expense of the labor required for installation. Nevertheless, changing of the displays is made necessary quite often not only because of damage to the display but also because of changing advertisements issued by the advertisers.

3,453,759 Patented July 8, 1969 Among the further problems inherent in present day outdoor billboard structures is that once a billboard is erected, it lends itself to a display panel of only one size. This problem is not so critical in urban areas where there are many billboards to choose from, but it is significant in rural areas where the number of billboards is not large and where an advertiser may wish to employ a large display where a small display was once used.

These and other problems with present outdoor billboards have rendered them unacceptable to a great number of advertisers, and have increased the cost to others. These problems are solved to a great extent by the present invention.

Summary f the invention The present invention provides a structure for mounting billboards for outdoor advertising. Billboards may be mounted in accordance with this invention such that they are not damaged by high winds, and provide several viewing areas to a person located in a fixed position. Most importantly, the invention provides a device which does not require costly land, labor and superstructure, but can be readily mounted on an existing pole.

The present invention further provides display panels mounted on a frame, wherein the display panels are not subject to damage by the elements, and may be readily and easily changed.

Consequently, the present invention provides a versatile billboard assembly of greatly reduced cost per unit of viewing area, when compared with the billboards of the prior art and present use.

These advantages are provided by a billboard frame assembly which readily fits around an existing pole, such as a telephone pole or light standard, with means for readily inserting various displays. The frame is rotatable so as to bring into view a plurality of displays, and to protect the individual display panels from wind damage. The A individual display panels are of simple construction and are protected from the elements by a plastic film or the like.

Brief description of the drawings Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now in greater detail to the drawings and first to FIGURE 1, there is seen a pole 10* which may be specially installed for this apparatus, but which will usually be an existing pole or post such as a utility pole or light standard.

Releasably secured to the pole 10 is an assembly 12 constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention.

The assembly 12 comprises generally in this embodiment a first annular frame 24, a second annular frame 30 (each of these annular frames adapted to be positioned around the pole 10), alongitudinal frame support member 38, and a sign-holding frame 44 adapted to retain an advertising display panel.

First annular frame 24 is adapted for occupying a fixed position around the pole 10, and for being releasably secured thereto. The frame 24 is of annular configuration about a center 23 which is eccentrically disposed from the center 11 of the post 10. The center 23 is also the center of the assembly 12. The frame 24 is desirably constructed of two like portions, 24a and 24b, each of which is a semicircular configuration extending arcuately through 180. The portions 24a and 24b are desirably of rigid metal construction and of L-shape cross-sectional configuration, presenting in their position of use as seen in FIGURE 1 a vertical portion 25 and a horizontal ledge 27 at the top of said vertical portion and extending outwardly from the center of the assembly. Vertical portion 25 and horizontal ledge 27 each present a continuous surface adapted for the receipt of roller means of the frame 30. The vertical portion 25 of the frame 24 is provided with a downwardly extending flange 26 at each end of the portion 24a, 2412, the flange 26 being provided with suitable holes for receiving fastening means such as the screw and bolt arrangement illustrated at 28. Thus the two portions 24a and 24b may be secured together to form the unitary frame 24 by placing a plate 21 having similarly spaced holes for the receipt of such fastening means behind the flange 26, and inserting the fastening means.

On at least one side of the frame 24, such a plate conveniently takes the form of a bracket 22, which may be of any suitable configuration for fitting adjacent the surface of pole 10, desirably extending a substantial distance beneath the vertical portion 25 and flange 26 of the annular frame 24. Such bracket provides a convenient means for releasably securing the assembly to the pole 10, in a manner such as described below.

Second annular frame 30 corresponds generally in size to first frame 24. Frame 30 is positioned for operation of the apparatus on top of the first annular frame 24, and is adapted for rotation thereon. Such frame is desirably constructed of a plurality of separate and similar portions, such as the three segments 30a, 30b and 300 illustrated in FIGURE 2. Each such portion in this embodiment extends arcuately throughout about 120, and is of lightweight metal construction.

The frame 30 is provided with means for retaining the frame 30 in freely rotatable engagement with the frame 24. In this embodiment, such means comprise a couple of rollers on each segment 30a, 30b, 306 of the frame, one adapted for rolling on the vertical surface 25 of the lower frame 24, and the other adapted for rolling on the horizontal ledge 27 of the frame 24. Here it is seen that the roller 60 rolls on the horizontal ledge 27, and the roller 61 rolls on the vertical portion 25.

Such rollers, which may be, for example, nylon ball bearing rollers may be aflixed on the frame 30 in any suitable manner, for example as illustrated in FIGURE 3. A hole 62 is provided in the frame member 30, and a screw 63 is inserted into this hole so that the head 64 of the screw retains the roller 60- generally parallel to the frame 30, and the other end of the screw is provided with a nut 65 which retains on the opposite side of the frame 30 one end of a generally L-shaped support member 66 which extends downwardly away from the frame 30 and is adapted to hold the roller 61 at its other end. A spacing nut 67 positioned between the frame 30 and the roller 60 prevents hindrance of the rolling action of the roller by reason of the rollers rubbing against the frame 30.

The support member 66 is angled outwardly away from the center 23 of the assembly through a portion 68, and at its end opposite the frame 30 contains a relatively straight portion 69 which extends to a position proximate the vertical portion 25 of the frame 24. At a point near the frame 24, the member 66 is provided with a hole 7 through which may fit fastening means such as a screw 71. The screw 71 may hold the roller 61 adjacent the support 66 in the same manner as described above in connection with the roller 60, and may be retained in the hole 70 by means of a suitable nut 72 or the like.

Each of the segments 30a, 30b and 30c of the annular frame 30 has a first end 75 and a second end 76 arcuately 75 spaced about 120 therefrom. Each such segment is curved in the general shape of an arc of a circle, but near the end 75 includes an outwardly bowed portion 77. The end 75 of each such section fits against the second end 76 of an adjacent section and is releasably secured thereto by any suitable means such as appropriate screw and bolt arrangement 78, through suitable holes in these parts. It is seen that the first end 75 conveniently nests inside the adjacent second end 76.

The second end 76 of each of the portions 30a, 30b and 300, is bent outwardly at about away from the center 20 in such a manner that a flanged portion is formed which is generally perpendicular to the tangent of the circle formed by the frame 30 at the point where the flanged portion is joined to the remainder of the frame. It is to each of these flanged portions, each of which has a suitable hole 40 therein, that the longitudinal frame support member 38 is adapted to be joined.

The longitudinal frame support member 38 mentioned above may be of any suitable length, but is desirably several feet long in most instances. It may be of generally L- shaped cross section as seen in FIGURE 3, and may desirably have holes corresponding to the hole 40 in end 76, so that it may be releasably fastened to the frame 30 by suitable means such as the nut and bolt arrangement illustrated at 41.

The longitudinal frame support member 38 also has at locations spaced above and below the juncture with frame 30 other fastening means such as the nut and bolt arrangements illustrated at 42 and 43. A sign-holding frame 44 is adapted to be releasably secured to each support 38 by the fastening means at 42 and 43. The frame 44 may be formed of a heavy steel wire or the like into a generally rectangular perimeter or grid with a couple of U- shaped fingers 46 and 48 of a size suitable for fitting over the heads of the bolts 42, 43 and be retained thereby. It will be readily understood that one frame 44 Will be positioned on each of the longitudinal supports 38. Consequently, if three such supports are used (one on each of the segments 30a, 30b, 300), three signs may be employed.

A backing member 45 of synthetic polymeric material or the like, may be fitted around the frame 44 to provide a support backing to the otherwise hollow frame. Such member may occupy any desired portion of the space between the sides of frame 44, to provide a backing for the sign panel positioned on the frame 44.

Each frame 44 is adapted to receive one or more advertising display panels. In most operations, it will be found desirable to include one such panel on each side of the backing member 45, so that one sign panel may be viewed by observers located on both sides thereof.

As seen in FIGS. 1-3, the frame 44 is generally transverse to the annular frames 24 and 30.

A desirable panel arrangement is illustrated in FIG- URE 4. Here it is seen that two sign panel sheets 55 and 56 (which may be two separate panels or which may be one panel folded along a common boundary 33) having displays imprinted thereon are positioned in an overlay 31. Such sheets may desirably be paper or paperboard sheets, and are desirably of simple and economic construction. The overlay 31 may be made of transparent synthetic polymeric material and may be for example a double-walled polyethylen bag or a section of a polyethylene tube which presents a top face 32 through which the panels are viewable to a nearby observer, and a bottom face 37. The overlay encapsulates said panels and may be permanently sealed around as many as three edges thereof, but should be open along at least one edge to allow for insertion of the panels 55, 56. When the panels have been inserted in the polyethylene tube arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 4, the overlay can be folded along the common border 33 perpendicular to its axis, to provide two overlay portions 31a and 31b of equal size. The open sides 35 and 36 may then be joined and permanently or temporarily sealed together by any suitable means such as staples.

Any size panel may be used, but it is generally desirable to have the longitudinal dimension of the overlay approximately equal to the longitudinal dimension of the frame 44. In this manner, the overlay may be slipped over the frame 44 and retained tightly thereon. In many contexts of use, it is desirable to have the panels 55, 56 approximately equal in size to one-half the size of the overlay, and approximately equal in size to the rectangular area defined by the frame 44.

The assembly 12 may be retained on the pole in any convenient manner such as by a continuous ring 14 which fits tightly around the pole and which is adapted to releasably hold the assembly 12 by clamping around the bracket 22 of the assembly. The ring 14 may be of any suitable material such as metal in the form of a thin flexible strip, or synthetic polymeric material. It must be flexible and adjustable if it is to be used on poles of diflferent sizes and if it is to be readily and firmly secured to the assembly 12. The adjustability of the ring may be accomplished by any suitable means such as by use of an apertured brace 20 of generally L-shape configuration, which has a screw 18 therein suitable for urging against the end 16 of ring 14, the end 16 passing through a hole in the brace 20. The tightness of the ring 14 may thus be adjusted by tightening or loosening of the screw 18.

All the parts of this invention may be readily assembled in place on an existing pole or post, and may be just as readily detached therefrom. Yet the apparatus is sturdy and once installed is rigidly held on the pole until it is desired to remove it. The construction of the frames 24 and 30 which completely encircle the post in a plurality of parts, allows these frames to be added to an existing post and thence combined to form a unitary frame.

The rotation of the frame 30 on the frame 24, and the placement of the signs in operable engagement with the frame 30, allows the signs to rotate around the pole 10. This is desirable for a number of reasons, among which are that a person located in one position is thus able to View a number of the signs as they rotate, and also that in high winds the signs are rotated rather than toppled because of the freedom of air passage.

It is seen that the apparatus provides also an assembly whereby signs may be readily and easily installed, removed, or interchanged with a minimum of labor and expense. Any convenient size of sign can be used. A plurality of signs which may be like or unlike may be employed. It is further seen that the sign panels are of simple and inexpensive construction, and are protected by the overlay from the elements.

The versatile apparatus disclosed is subject to many modifications within the scope of the invention. The illustrated embodiment is only one form of the invention, and it will be obvious to those of skill in the art that various modifications may be made in the structures illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Advertising display apparatus suitable for fitting onto an existing utility pole or the like and for displaying a plurality of viewing areas, comprising:

a first annular frame encircling said pole and providing a continuous surface for receiving roller means;

a second annular frame including roller means for engaging with said surface of said first frame, said roller means retaining said second frame on said first frame and allowing free rotation of said second frame while said first frame remains sationary;

at least one display frame means adapted to receive a display panel disposed generally transverse to said second annular frame and operably connected there to so that said display frame rotates with said second annular frame;

at least one display panel on said display frame; and

means for releasably securing said apparatus to said pole.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein each said first and said second annular frames are constructed of at least two arcuate sections.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display panel is retained in an overlay of transparent synthetic polymeric material, which overlay fits tightly over said display frame but is adapted for ease of removal therefrom to facilitate substitution of displays.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein each said display frame is provided with a display panel on front and back thereof.

5. Advertising display apparatus suitable for fitting onto an existing utility pole or the like and for displaying a plurality of viewing areas, comprising:

a first annular frame encircling said pole and providing a continuous surface for receiving roller means;

a second annular frame including roller means for engaging with said surface of said first frame, said roller means retaining said second frame on said first frame and allowing free rotation of said second frame while said first frame remains stationary;

at least one longitudinal support member secured to said second annular frame for rotation therewith;

a display frame secured to said longitudinal support member;

at least one display panel on said display frame; and,

means for releasably securing said apparatus to said pole.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein each said first and said second annular frames are constructed of at least two arcuate sections.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein each section of said second annular frame is provided with one of said longitudinal support members.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said display frame is releasably secured to said longitudinal support member for ease of removal and replacement.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said display panel is retained in an overlay of transparent synthetic polymeric material, which overlay fits tightly over said display frame but is adapted for ease of removal therefrom to facilitate substitution of displays.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein each said display frame is provided with a display panel on front and back thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 616,975 1/ 1899 Rollason et al. 40-39 954,525 4/1910 Lefevre 40-39 1,177,873 4/ 191-6 Kraus 40-68 1,527,024 2/1925 Brookbank 40-68 EUGENE P. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 40--39, 

